Beetle’s sex life is key to the weather

If you want to know what the weather is going to be like, you could ask the Met Office, but why not see if the beetles in your garden are being considerate lovers instead?

According to a study in the PLOS One journal, insects’ romantic intentions can predict the weather. If it’s stable, beetles and flies luxuriate in love, the researchers found. If rain is looking likely, however, they either avoid country pursuits or go a bit more British, ditching the foreplay and sneaking in a quickie before the heavens pour cold water on their ardour.

Scientists from the University of Western Ontario studied how the mating habits of the cucurbit beetle, the true armyworm moth, and the potato aphid related to atmospheric pressure. By…